Hey ladies! I hope you’re all doing brilliantly. Today’s post was requested by one of my favourite IG people, she’s supported The Blushing Giraffe since the start and I’m so thankful :’) Thankyou Ahlam!
So this cream contouring technique is quite different to the usual way of putting foundation on first and then applying the darker and brighter cream products. I saw Huda Beauty do this in one of her sped up GRWM videos and she had linked a more detailed video in the description box. I have also linked it to the end of this post so you can see a visual step-by-step.
This methods essentially looks more natural as you end up using less foundation. Everything is super blended which results in a sculpted look without any harshness! ^_^ I wouldn’t do this on a daily basis but for days where I have more time to get ready I loooove this and I think its great for like a meal out during the day or a party...basically anywhere as you can just use cream products alone, or you can ADD to the cream with powder which will intensify the contour and highlight as well as increase the longevity. This is all about perfecting so it’s really important to start off with a good moisturised base and be sure to apply some eyecream around 5 minutes before so that area is hydrated.
I’m going to talk you through how I personally do Huda’s Cream Contour method and what products I use.
1. Colour Correct
Huda actually didn’t do this because her skin looked pretty even in tone, but if you have any darkness on your face this is essential to do first. I used my Benefit Erase Paste 3 under my eyes, using the warmth of my finger to gently blend in a layer and correct that darkness. I also have some discolouration around my mouth, it is a little bit darker than the rest of my face so I’ve been trying out the Maqpro Slim Fard Creme Palette in PP01 which I bought from www.love-makeup.co.uk. Unfortunately that shade isn’t in stock right now but keep an eye out as they change things around quite frequently.
2. Contour
Taking the shade beautiful bronze from the L.A Girl Pro Conceal Concealer range I draw two lines under my cheekbones. The applicator for this also makes applying this along the sides of the nose really easy. I always apply some to the chin too, this makes my slight double chin look less prominent and sharpens up my face a little. Sometimes I add a bit to the temples but I think my forehead is proportionate to the rest of my face.
3. Highlight
I use the L.A Girl Pro Conceal Concealer in Creamy Beige under my eyes and along my cheekbones in a small triangle. I never apply concealer directly under the bottom lashes because it tends to look cakey, so instead I put it on just below that area. I also highlight the bridge of my nose, chin area and a tiny bit of the centre of my forehead. For a special occasion I would also add a little UNDER the contour line which would define the contour further.
4. Blending
It’s important not to over-blend when you’re cream contouring in this way. So I take my E.L.F Stippling Brush which has quite loose bristles ad I gently blend the contour. This diffuses it slightly but it is still quite strong. Next taking a damp beauty blender I start to blend out the under-eyes. This is my favourite bit because it is instantly bright and flawless looking. Also because I let it sit for at least two minutes whilst blending the contour, the concealer ‘set’ better, giving higher coverage. I also like to leave my concealer for a minute or so on a normal basis, this baking technique gets the most coverage out of the concealer you’re using and it lasts longer on the skin too!
5. Foundation
The next step is to finally apply the foundation! By now you’ll have most of your face colour corrected, contoured and highlighted. I used the same foundation Huda did Diorskin Star (31) which is a beautiful slightly dewy, perfecting foundation. The formula is perfect for contouring in this order as it feels incredibly light on the skin and blends flawlessly. The advantages of adding foundation now is that it will blend together with the highlight and the contour, diffusing any harshness. As mentioned earlier I tend to use a lot less than before and using a buffing brush and a light hand I apply it mainly on the cheeks and lightly around the face. Huda uses a smaller stippling brush with longer hairs and that looks like it works wonderfully for merging the foundation with the highlight and contour, but all my stippling brushes are pretty large so I just use the buffing brush carefully. It’s really hard to describe this process so be sure to check out Huda’s video as she demonstrates it so well and it’s easy enough for me to follow so I have no doubt that you can too! Key for this step: Use a light hand and LESS IS MORE!
6. Set and Powder
Now the base is done it’s essential to set all that under-eye highlight, I usually go in with my Ben Nye Banana Powder which I’ll have tipped into the lid and swirled my RT Setting Brush in before gently powdering down. Then it depends on how much of a contoured look I want to go for, but I usually set the cream contour with another powder of some sort, these days it has been the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer in medium-deep (another discovery from Huda Beauty!) and you can read the full review to that here. Adding a bronzer over the top brings warmth to face which you would normally get from applying the cream contour shade on top, however the powder on top of the light layer of foundation and contour shade gives the face a natural warmth. Being a blush-a-holic I do like to apply a little bit just above the contour line. This slightly emphasises the contour whilst adding some colour too.
And that’s it really! Although this post was very wordy it’s simple to carry out, watch Huda’s video here and follow her ^_^ I actually prefer the look of this order than the one where you put foundation on first and then apply a layer of highlight and contour. I use less foundation and my skin looks better for it too! Have you tried this method? Or cream contouring at all?
Thank-you for reading ♥
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